The man
by Marilena
Summary: Some war wounds cannot be healed... Please R


Disclaimer: Humph... Fine. He's not mine.

This is dark, very dark... I have warned you!

Don't forget to review!

**The man**

**by: marilynGR**

The battle was over.

Every part of it, the anguish, the pain, the terror. It was all in some distant corridors to which the key was lost. And he really didn't want to find it because finally, it was all over.

But his life wasn't.

His life was there, open like the horizon and shapeless as the air. Not that it would ever have a shape like most people's.

And in the middle of everything were the pieces of his self, shattered and sprawled in a nest of thoughts and dust. Every piece, a thought. Oh, the irony of saying he was alone with all these people surrounding him. Their respectful expressions and compliant stares as a constant noose. Yes, he was alone.

Alone as only a sun can be. Shining in the greatness of being the center of everything.

Only… he was no sun. The old house of Grimauld Place was full of shadows again. It was a good thing. They dark corners matched his state of mind.

Helplessness…

They didn't understand, all the others. How could they? It's difficult to stare in the tornado's eye. You'll have to cross the unforgiving wind first and that will probably kill you.

He laughed bitterly.

Leaving everything behind in the effort not to lose anything, he forgot what he used to be. Gone was the teasing teenager, lost were the days under his old school's trees. What was left of him was nothing in particular.

And that hurt deeply. Because his soul wasn't dark or bright.

It was gone.

The void outside the window… Inside the old house… Around him, behind him, in front of him… Inside him.

'_Careful! You could fall in.'_

"Careful! You will fall in," he whispered. The warning needed to be heard somehow.

He pulled his knees to the chest and rested his head on them. How he wanted to close his eyes!

Such a comforting moment it would be.

Nightmares? No, not at all. These had long ago been degraded to spoiled children's luxuries.

The problem was much darker than a simple nightmare. At least in the latter you know you'll wake up eventually.

It was the man.

That man whom he hated to see.

He didn't want to ever see him again in his life.

_Afraid, confused, pained._

Why was that man chasing him everywhere? Why couldn't he just leave him alone?

That man blocked the light, leaving him alone and trapped for eternity in the shadows. In an ever ending chaos.

His eyes started to burn.

He knew the man was out there, waiting for him. Waiting patiently to scare him again as the Dark Lord never managed to.

His chest fell heavy and a tight knot found its way up his throat.

He didn't want to see him again! He hugged his knees tighter. What was that feeling in his heart? It must have been fear.

The man was coming closer, he could almost feel his reflection on the soft skin of his cheek.

No longer could he take it.

Slowly, he turned bloodstained eyes at the man's direction…

He was there again. Again, again, again.

Two pairs of eyes were blurry. The man was nearly crying too.

Harry pulled himself on the wall and closed his eyes. A soft, barely audible whimper escaped his lips. His throat hurt.

Dizziness…

That face, that man.

It was horrible; a torn, disfigured shape. The man wasn't always like this.

War wounds, soul wounds.

His eyes itched but the tear that threatened to fall never took the big step. He couldn't cry at the man's fate. All he could do was fear that he'd be seeing him for his entire lifetime.

Broken beyond repair, Harry kicked the mirror with all his strength.

The reflection was gone. So was the man.

Ah, finally.

He could now creep to his corner again, relieved.

Until the next time the man showed up…

A nightmare would be useful at the moment.

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I know this is darker than usual but PLEASE tell me what you think!

Dune Master, this is for you! I hope you like it! Merry Christmas and forgive me the dark mood but I thought I should show you an apect of my writing I don't usually display...! ;D

Be good boys and girls and give me a piece of your mind!


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